1. Field of the Invention
Versions and embodiments of the present invention relate generally to parachute equipment. Particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to reserve parachutes and deployment thereof. More particularly, versions of the invention relate to reserve parachute ripcords used for manual deployment of the reserve parachute. Specifically, versions of the invention relate to retractable safety ripcords for reserve parachutes and new, useful and unobvious versions thereof.
2. Description/Background of the Related Art
The art discussed herein is not to be considered admitted prior art but is presented to more clearly discuss and describe what is still lacking in the earlier art.
Ripcords for parachute container opening systems are conventionally made of steel cable with pins attached. Ripcord pins are made by hammering and drilling steel stock, and the ripcord is traditionally put together by swaging the pin(s) to one end, and a ball shank to the other. These pin(s) pass through fabric loops or cones to hold the parachute pack closed, until the ripcord is pulled.
To protect the ripcord cable, and to provide a low friction path to the ripcord handle, the ripcord is passed through a steel housing. Because the cable and pin(s) are steel, the housing must also be steel, or it would be destroyed by the abrasive nature of the cable and pin(s). This housing must also be large enough to allow passage of the attached pin(s). Because parachute harnesses and steel housings flex (or stretch) during motion in the aircraft, in freefall, and particularly during opening shock, there must be extra ripcord cable at the handle end to prevent accidental pulling of the ripcord pin(s).
While all steel ripcords work well, several problems/deficiencies have plagued their use for decades:    1. They are expensive to manufacture.    2. They are expensive to inspect, and cannot be fully inspected after installation. There is simply no way to determine if a swage is correctly done without removing the ripcord, and placing it in an expensive pull tester.    3. They can produce hard pulls, due to friction between the steel cable and housing, especially when pulled at an angle to the housing end.    4. The slack at the handle end is exposed, and could snag, causing an accidental deployment.    5. The steel cable can kink or “pig tail” causing a hard or impossible pull.    6. Because of the slack at the handle end, if a handle is knocked out of its pocket, it can float free, making it difficult or impossible to locate when needed.    7. The housings are large and hard, causing discomfort to the wearer.    Problems 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 have caused fatalities in the past.
No ripcord device and/or system is known to this inventor that addresses the deficiencies in the earlier art as is used in conventional parachute ripcords. This new, useful and unobvious invention, in various embodiments, accomplishes this much needed advantage of increase in safety and reduction in manufacturing costs of conventional parachute ripcord devices and/or systems.